Prince of Nothing Charming
by EmilyRose09
Summary: Chris Keller is the biggest diva rock star around and now his sights are set on Mia Catalano, who wants absolutely nothing to do with him...for now.
1. You'll Ask For Me

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. All characters go to their respective owners of One Tree Hill, i.e. WB, Mark Schwahn.**

**A/N: This story is set about six months after the ending of the ninth season of One Tree Hill, but pre-flash forward to Jamie's basketball game. This is a few months after Haley told Chris Keller that he should be the next act for Red Bedroom Records. Enjoy the story. Give feedback if you want me to continue. Let me know your thoughts about their banter. Does it flow? Is it believable? All feedback is appreciated. ;)**

Chapter 1: You'll Ask For Me

"Is this really the kind of crap kids these days are listening to?" Chris Keller asked, grabbing the CD out of the player and snapping it in half.

"Yeah, it's not like the label wanted that back or anything," Haley mumbled lamely, putting her head down in her hands, completely and utterly aggravated.

"Seriously? What happened to the really good music from back in the day?" Chris rifled through the remaining CD's. "God, Hales. Have you seen all of these? One band is called the _Orgasm Dwellers_." He ran his hands over his chin thoughtfully. "Actually, that's kind of hot. Can I take that name when they go nowhere?"

Haley grudgingly looked up. "No, and at this rate you won't be going anywhere either. Your album drops in _one _week, Chris. I can't have you being this picky about your opening act. If memory serves, you like all the attention anyway, so _pick a band_. Any band. Even if they suck you'll still be the same self-obsessed rock star that you've always been."

Chris smiled at her, kinking an eyebrow. "You think I'm a rock star?"

Haley groaned. "Yes that was what I wanted you to take away from what I said. Nothing about the fact that you have spent two months being a diva perfectionist and have yet to pick the opening band, even though you go on tour in _one _week," Haley half-shouted.

"Alright. Calm down, Haley James. We're on a time crunch after all. No buckling around."

"On second thought I think I'll call the studio and tell them that we should cancel all the shows on account of the main act's psychotic tendencies."

"You wouldn't dare," Chris questioned, narrowing his eyes in challenge.

"Try me." Haley was putting her foot down. Chris Keller had to pick a band if it was the last thing she did as a producer.

"Fine," he begrudged. "Let's take five and then go over more of this crap."

"Fine," Haley countered, satisfied.

"_Fine_," Chris mimicked.

"Yes, that's mature." Haley walked away from him in search of coffee—or a punching bag.

Chris stayed in the office, going through more CD's. The further he went in the pile the worse the material became. He eventually gave up, stretching his legs and going over to the recording area. It was his favorite place in all of Tree Hill. It was very Indie meets Rock & Roll, which was totally the vibe he was going for.

"Excuse me?" a fierce voice asked from the doorway.

Chris Keller looked up. A sexy girl in skinny jeans and a gray tank top stared back at him with a suspicious expression on her face. Her long black hair cascaded down her back in waves.

"Well, _well,_" Chris said to no one in particular. "What do we have here?"

"You must be the new help," Mia responded, crossing her arms, eyeing him up and down. "I expected a little more from what Haley said."

Chris smiled, wounded. "Don't be too sure, sweetheart. I make a pretty lousy first impression, but based on my history after that the ladies find me rather irresistible. Haley, Brooke, Alex. There isn't a girl in Tree Hill that hasn't been interested at one point or another. "

"I'll try to overlook their obvious lapses in judgment."

"Oh, snappy, sweetheart. I like it." He moved closer to her, eliminating the space between them. "I'm Chris Keller, but you probably already knew that." He grabbed the end of her black hair and twirled it in his hand. "And you are?" he asked, gazing into her eyes faux-sweetly.

"_Not _interested." Mia slapped his hand away roughly. "Someone once told my boyfriend to punch first and ask questions later if the name Chris Keller came up. I'd be more than happy to oblige if you touch me again."

"Snappy _and _charming," Chris said, stepping back. "That's hot."

Mia rolled her eyes, annoyed. "Where's Haley?"

"I'm here. I'm sorry," Haley cut in. She walked into the room with a bounce in her step, energized.

Mia cocked her head in Chris' direction.

"I know. I know. I should have warned you. Plus I know better; I can never leave him unsupervised."

"Chris Keller can hear you, you know."

"I know," Haley answered unapologetically. "Anyway, back to you." She turned to face Mia, hugging her tightly. "How have you been? We've missed you around here."

"I've been great. The tour was _amazing. _My show in Pittsburgh—I can't even explain. It was incredible. I loved every minute of it."

"Tour?" Chris Keller asked, interrupting their reunion. "You're a musician?" He sounded doubtful.

Mia Catalano forced a smile. "Of course I am. How else do you think I can come up with such witty and bitchy insults so quickly?"

"I just figured you were a Tree Hill native. They all seem to have a habit of bitching out Chris Keller when _all _he's doing it trying to be himself."

"First of all," Haley began to refute his statements, "I'm fairly certain there's a nationwide habit of bitching out Chris Keller. Second of all, you being yourself generally mean that the rest of us have to deal with your inappropriate behavior, which includes but is not limited to your incessant flirting, suggestive comments, and constant reference to yourself in the third person." Haley smiled proudly. "See, I can bitch him out too."

"Well, you're a musician," Mia pointed out.

"Chris Keller is not even appreciated in his own time," Chris moaned.

"I'm actually surprised you haven't hit him in all the years you've known him," Mia told Haley.

"So am I," Haley admitted. "Then again, I have Nathan to do that for me, which he is more than happy to do _whenever _I ask him. And even when I don't."

"You don't have to remind me," Chris Keller said, feeling his eyes that had turned black far too many times because of Nathan.

"Well deserved, I'd like to add," Haley said to Chris. "Now stop hitting on Mia and _pick a band_. Or I'll be forced to resort to other means—like calling my husband."

"You wouldn't dare," Chris said for the second time that night.

Haley smiled brightly in response. "Let's find out."

Chris made a rude gesture and went back to the pile of CDs. He continued to rifle through them, throwing the majority on the floor.

"Sorry about him," Haley said once he was gone. "He's a lot to handle, but he's incredibly talented, so what can you do?"

Mia glanced back at Chris, who was now repeatedly stomping on a single CD case. "Seems like he knows how good he is."

"No argument there, but all of his shows are already sold out. That nation that bitches him out also seems to love him."

"Go figure. So now that he's leaving, will you need help in the studio again? I've missed this place just as much as it's missed me."

Haley shuffled on her feet. "Well, not exactly. Chris is leaving, Alex is on another tour, and I'm not recording right now, so there isn't much to help with. You could always work on your new CD," Haley suggested.

Mia tried not to look too disappointed. "You know I do all of my best writing on the road. I guess there's no reason for me to be in Tree Hill then."

Haley grabbed her shoulder sympathetically. "Why would you say that?"

"I'm not needed to help produce anything. Chase and I broke up almost three years ago. There's nothing really keeping me here."

"What about your awesome friend, Haley?"

"One of the few things," Mia allowed, smiling.

"So leave," Chris Keller said loudly from where he sat at Haley's desk, obviously eavesdropping. "Leave this Hick town and go back on the road."

"Please," Mia said, shaking her head, ignoring his suggestion. "Well, I'm going to go say a quick hello to Chase and then head home. Maybe I'll stop by later this week if you're around," she said to Haley.

"Alright. Yes, please do not be a stranger." Haley hugged Mia goodbye. "I'll call you."

Mia smiled and walked out of the studio.

"I want her," Chris said the second she had left.

"Well, you can't have her," Haley responded immediately, walking back to her desk.

'No. I mean, I want her on the road with me." Chris' eyes lit up with excitement.

"What?"

"That's Mia Catalano, isn't it?"

Haley nodded in affirmation.

"Great. She has to come on the road with me. She's perfect."

"She just got back, and besides, she doesn't open anymore."

"She's too good for it?" Chris asked wistfully.

"She's too good for _you_," Haley emphasized.

He cocked his head down at her. "You weren't."

She held up her cellphone. "I have Nathan on speed dial, just so you know."

"Come on, Hales. She's great; I'm incredible. You can't get a better match up. Besides my tour bus would be really classed up with a girl on it."

"That's really debatable. We both know you've had girls on it before that definitely didn't add to its sophistication."

"Now are_ you_ saying that _you_ don't think Mia is classy?"

"No," Haley said, flustered. "I'm saying that she won't be interested, Chris. End of story. Sorry if that disappoints you. I know how attached you can get," she added, unnecessarily sarcastic.

"Say no more," Chris said, slowly backing up out of the studio. "Mind if we pick this up tomorrow. It's getting late."

Haley glanced at the clock. "It's nine O'clock."

"Oh, wow." Chris fake yawned. "I never got my nap in today, so this is way past my bedtime. Night, Hales." He turned around and walked suspiciously fast out the door.

"What are you going to do?" Haley called after him. "If I hear that you're harassing her, I won't stop her from pressing charges."

Chris just continued on his way.

"Damn it," Haley mumbled out loud, following him out to the bar.

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**A/N: Thoughts? I don't know if I'll make this more than just a one shot. Review if you want more. ;) **


	2. Only Fooling Myself

**Disclaimer: I own nothing! **

**A/N: The Chris/Mia story picks up literally right where it dropped off in chapter one. Please read and review. All of my past reviews were greatly appreciated. I thrive off of feedback. I hope you enjoy. ;) Also, if you're wondering, this story takes place after season 9, so everything that happened in the show also happened here. **

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Chapter 2: Only Fooling Myself

"Well, if it isn't everyone's favorite bartender," Mia yelled loudly when she came in sight of the bar. "Oh, wait. Bar manager. My mistake." She smiled happily at Chase as she sat down across from him on a stool.

Chase smiled right back. "Actually, it's bar _owner. _It seems you've been gone a little too long from Tree Hill, Mia Catalano."

Mia raised her eyebrows, proud and surprised. "And I thought things would never change around here, Chase Adams."

Chase began pouring a concoction of alcohol into a glass. "You could say that again. It's been one hell of a year."

"A good one?" Mia asked, avoiding eye contact.

It felt like forever ago that Mia had finally realized and accepted that Chase was in love with Alex and always would be. It was clear that Alex had been_ it _for him, even if that fact broke Mia's heart. The worst part was that the pain was still there for her even after all this time.

"A complicated year," Chase vaguely supplied, handing her a drink. "What about you, you rock star? How was the tour?"

Mia took the glass reluctantly. "It was out-of-this-world spectacular. I wouldn't trade my job for anything else."

Chase leaned closer to her. "You wouldn't want to be Mia Catalano: Ballistics Expert? Mia Catalano: Street Performer? Mia Catalano: Romance Novelist?"

"Stop it," Mia demanded, unable to stop herself from laughing.

"Yes, stop it," Chris Keller's voice rang out in the empty club." Chris Keller doesn't need you macking on another one of his girls. We have big plans."

Mia regained her composure. "First of all, I'm _not _your girl. Second of all, I can tell you with absolute certainty that any sentence with the word _we _in it categorically repulses me."

"Can't say that those feelings are mutual, darling." Chris raised his eyebrow, sitting down on a stool next to her.

"Geez," Mia groaned. "And what did you mean when you said _another _one of your girls?"

Chris smiled knowingly at Chase, who was visibly nervous about the impending revelation.

"Oh, that? Nothing of consequence. Just that when I first came back to town I was very much in a relationship and in just a few short months I was very much...to put it delicately...backstabbed, betrayed, and bewildered by the actions of Judas' reincarnate here." He nodded toward Chase, incriminating him.

"You did that..." Mia paused, disbelieving, "...with his girlfriend?"

"He slept with, screwed, tapped that, hooked up with—" Chris provided.

"—Okay. I think she gets it," Chase cut in. "Mia, I can explain."

"In his defense," Chris went on. "Tara was quite the manipulative bitch."

"What about Alex?" Mia asked immediately.

Chase brightened up with a new excuse. "This was after she and I had decided to move in together. She left me to go on tour because this ass here," Chase paused, pointing at Chris, "told her that she'd be better off with a career and no roots. I haven't seen her for months."

"Hey," Chris interjected, lifting his arms up innocently. "Don't drag Chris Keller into that. That was all her decision. My idea and connections that got her the tour, yes, but that's beside the point. Come on, bro. I'm your best friend."

"You're not my best friend," Chase countered automatically. "Owen Morello is my best friend."

Chris glared at him. "And as your best friend, I have graciously forgiven you for any of _your _misdeeds."

"I'm sorry, Mia," Haley shouted as she came to the bar. "I couldn't stop him. Ignore any and all of his implications that it's a good idea for you to go on his tour."

"What?" Mia asked, taken aback.

Haley sat down, sensing the tension in the room. "Chris, what did you say? I'm gone for one minute and you manage to ruin everyone's evening."

"Chris Keller did nothing of the sort," Chris shot back. "I was just relaying Chase's past trysts to Mia here. No harm, no foul. Nothing about any tour was mentioned. You were heard loud and clear before."

Haley grimaced. This felt like a trap. "Good. I stand by my opinion."

"Wait. You want me to go on tour with you?" Mia asked Chris.

He turned to her, nodding slowly. "Of course. How often does a guy get the opportunity to spend hours on end each day in very close proximity to the undeniably sexy Mia Catalano?" His lips perked up.

"And I told him to stay away from you," Haley told Mia. "He just refused to listen."

Chris narrowed his eyes at Haley. "Actually, I still haven't asked her to come with me and because of popular opinion I won't." He turned back to Mia. "Chris Keller gets it. You just got back from tour. You want to relax and spend more time with the colorful townsfolk." Chris gave a sideways smile to Chase before turning back to Mia. "I will, however, dazzle you with compliments until I turn you on."

Chase groaned. "Seriously, dude? As my _best friend_, you could try and hit on my ex-girlfriend a little less."

"You're what?" Chris asked him, shocked.

"Ex-girlfriend," Chase repeated slowly, sounding out each syllable. "As in we were once in a relationship and now we're not."

Mia flinched. "Kind of like how you and Tara were once in a relationship," Mia said to Chris, eyeing Chase out of the corner of her eyes. "And then you weren't."

Chase sighed, hating that this was how Mia had found out about all of his recent romantic woes.

"I think that it's time we all called it a night," Haley offered, fearing the direction of the conversation.

"Don't be ridiculous, Hales," Chris retorted. "It's _only_ nine O'clock."

Haley narrowed her eyes right back at him. "Mia, sidebar."

Mia glanced back confusedly at Haley.

"I have to talk to you about...Nathan," Haley made up.

"Trouble in bed?" Chris guessed.

Haley swallowed to keep herself from shouting profanities at him.

Mia hopped off her stool, following Haley back into the office of Red Bedroom Records.

"Okay. I know it's obvious what Chris is doing out there, but I want to make sure that we're on the same page," Haley began, relaxing now that they were away from the boys.

"I want to go on tour with Chris," Mia blurted out.

"What?" Haley asked, shocked. "But he's an overtly sexual ass."

Mia nodded in agreement. "I know. He does everything you said—the incessant flirting, the suggestive comments, and the constant reference to himself in the third person. It seriously makes me want to reconsider my faith in humanity, but I _need_ to get out of this town, Haley."

"What's wrong with Tree Hill?" Haley asked desperately.

"In one word: Chase," Mia explained.

Haley nodded, understanding. "You're still in love with him?"

"Yes. No. Maybe. I don't know," Mia admitted. "I just know that it still hurts to see him. It hurts to have him flirt with me. It hurts to have him make me his unbelievably horrible drinks. It hurts to hear about how he and Alex had decided to move in together. It hurts to hear that he slept with some bitch named Tara. It all hurts." Mia slumped down into the office chair, feeling like, for the first time in months, she wanted to cry.

Haley hugged her, wrapping her arms as tightly as possible around her. "I'm sorry it's been so tough for you."

"That's just it," Mia elaborated. "It hasn't been tough until just now, seeing him again. When I'm on the road it's so much easier. I don't have to pretend. I let my music distract me. I let it heal me. Chris Keller's mannerisms are a small price to pay to get that back."

"I get that more than you know," Haley told Mia, sitting down across from her. "I was devastated when I went on the road for a tour in high school because I'd lost Nathan. I was heartbroken. I was lost and confused. Chris was quite the needed distraction, but it was the music that kept me from going out of my mind. It was my everything, and I loved every minute of it. So if you're sure that you can handle Chris, I have no objections to you opening for him."

Mia breathed a sigh of relief. "I can't believe it took me a half an hour to go from having never met the guy to now going on tour with him." Mia shook her head, relishing in the irony. "When would we leave?"

"Next week on Tuesday."

"I guess we should go back and tell Chris Keller the good news," Mia said, standing back up.

"You know," Haley started, "Chase was pretty jealous when Chris was flirting with you. Maybe there's something still there between the two of you."

Mia smiled gratefully at Haley. "I'd call that wish fulfillment, Haley. I don't want to get my hopes up _again._"

Haley nodded, following Mia back out to the bar where Chase and Chris were still bickering at.

"Geez, it's like you're an old married couple," Mia analyzed, feigning coolness and smirking at both boys. "It's cute actually. I love bromances."

Chase frowned unhappily; Chris smiled.

"So we have news," Haley announced reluctantly.

Chris leaned forward to the edge of his seat. "Go on."

"Mia," Haley let her take over.

"I'll go on tour with you on one condition, Chris."

Chris smiled even brighter. "Name it."

"You can't take even one drunken groupie on the bus with us."

Chris lost a hint of his smile. "Deal," he said at last.

"Okay. It's settled. Everyone wins," Mia said to no one in particular.

Chris smiled back at Chase. "_Everyone _wins," he repeated.

"You're really going to leave already?" Chase asked. "I just got you back."

Mia felt an aching stir up deep inside her. She was willing to lose all of her previous resolve if it meant that she could stay with him.

"I have to," Mia forced herself to say. "Haley needs someone to open for Chris. It's just a favor."

Haley eyed her sadly; Chris eyed her suspiciously.

"I'll be back in a couple of months."

"Alright," Chase allowed eventually. "Good luck handling him." He nodded toward Chris. "I sure as hell haven't been able to."

Mia smiled widely. "I'll be sure to text you for tips."

"Once again," Chris interjected. "Chris Keller is standing right here."

"We know," Chase and Mia said in unison before bursting out laughing.

"Oh, I see how it is. Gain up on me. That's fine. I won't stand here and take it. Come on, Haley." Chris demanded, getting up and heading toward the exit.

Haley stalled, laughing along with the Chase and Mia, but her curiosity won out. She followed Chris outside to his car that he was cockily leaning against. His typical grin was back on his face.

"You called it," he said to her when she was in earshot.

"I'll play along. I called what?" Haley asked.

"That I get attached to things, and lo and behold, I got her to go on tour with me. I know I don't have _you _to thank for that."

"You guess right." Haley studied him carefully. "What are you up to, Chris? I know that I told you about Mia and Chase before. You put on that whole act about not knowing they had dated. I want to know why. What are you up to?"

Chris got into his car, preparing to pull away. "That's for me to know and you to find out."

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**A/N: End Scene. This was super addicting to write, so I guess as long as I keep getting reviews, then I'll continue their story. I have an underdeveloped idea of where I want to go with them. I'm actually really excited about where it could go. Please review. I'd love to know everyone's thoughts. It keeps me interested in my stories. ;) K, that will be all.**


	3. Rolling Home

**Disclaimer: Not mine! Wish it were! :)**

**A/N: A big thanks to everyone that's been reviewing this story. These are definitely my favorite ones to read. You're all so enthusiastic about it. I'm definitely going to continue this story because of you guys. I hope the following chapters can live up to your expectations. Please enjoy the Chris/Mia goodness, and, as always, please review if you can. :) **

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Chapter 3: Rolling Home

"Chris Keller doesn't think you understand the concept of goodbyes, Hales," Chris Keller said, shaking his head disapprovingly.

They were standing next to the tour bus in the parking lot of Tric, waiting for Mia Catalano to arrive.

"For the last time, I do not care that French kissing and inappropriate fondling is the norm in some countries," Haley countered tiredly. "I'm _only _here to see Mia off. I've been trying my best to ignore you."

"And failing miserably," Chris pointed out. "No matter your hostility, sweetie, Chris Keller will miss you." He smiled brightly down at her, opening his arms wide for a hug.

Haley couldn't help but smile back before recapturing her former scowl, refusing to hug him. "You better behave yourself, Chris. I'm going to be keeping tabs on the tour the whole time, so any word about your continual harassment of Mia and there'll be hell to pay."

"Relax. I'll be a perfect, charming gentleman," Chris told her. "Like I always am."

Haley snorted. "Please. You're the least charming person I know. Slimy and manipulative? Yes. Charming? Not so much."

"Hey, you'll miss me while I'm gone," Chris warned, loading another of his many bags into the side of the bus.

"I'd miss you a whole lot more if you told me what you're plan was with Mia."

Chris leered down at her. "Where's the fun in that?"

"Continually hitting on her will never work," Haley spoke her theories out loud. "She'd never go for you anyway. And I still can't figure out why you'd agree to never bring some floozy on the bus either. Normally, I'd guess that you were just crushing on her, but how could that be? You'd never met her in person before last week and you're simply not capable of typical human emotions."

"I'm just mysterious," Chris shot back. "I'm an enigma—a puzzle. Something meant to be solved. Also, and its okay for you to admit it, Hales: I'm just damn sexy."

Haley rolled her eyes. "You're a childish sycophant that is on a never-ending ego trip."

"What are you _implying_?" Chris asked, faking innocence.

Haley groaned, looking down at her watch. Mia was uncharacteristically late, and Haley was paying the price for it.

"Hey," a low voice called from behind them.

Haley and Chris both immediately turned around to find Chase walking down the steps of Tric and over to them.

He was uncharacteristically early to work, Haley thought to herself. Wonder why.

"Good. I was hoping to catch you guys," Chase told them, eyeing the bus quizzically. "Is Mia here yet?"

"No," Haley answered curtly.

After Mia's sad little speech from the week before she'd been acting less and less civilized toward Chase. He'd screwed up with Mia majorly and Haley wasn't about to let him off the hook for that.

"Will she be here soon?" Chase asked, smiling politely despite Haley's cold shoulder.

"Unless she's standing me up," Chris interjected. "Which would never happen."

"In any universe but our own," Haley added, smiling evilly at Chris.

Chris glared. "I take back everything that I said. Chris Keller will _not _miss you."

"Oh, damn it," Haley whined sarcastically. "That's such a shame."

"You know, you could show a little appreciation," Chris snapped back. "I did save your husband after all."

"I think you've been paid in full for that. There's the small matter of guitars, record deals, and an imminent, all-expense paid tour." Haley eyed Chris, daring him to challenge her.

Chris huffed, defeated. "It wouldn't hurt for you to try to be a little nicer to Chris Keller."

"I could," Haley allowed. "But where's the fun in that?"

"There should be no fun in messing with Chris Keller."

"I thought you loved games, Chris," Haley started. "You're _so _mysterious after all. You like to mess with girls as much as you can with the ultimate goal of making them all swoon at your feet, even when they're begging you to go away."

Chris set his stern face. "I will not apologize for my natural ability to make you swoon, Haley James."

Haley groaned again, involuntarily glancing at Chase to find some agreement that Chris Keller was easily the most exasperating person on the planet.

Chase shrugged his shoulders as if to say _what can you do?_

"I'd apologize for his behavior," Chase started, "but I'm just relieved that he found someone else to annoy since you started working on his album."

"I won't even warrant that with a snappy comeback," Chris declared, stomping onto the bus and shutting the door behind him.

Haley laughed, realizing she actually _would _miss Chris' theatrics. It made Tree Hill damn entertaining on the off chance that she wasn't dealing with kidnappings, shootings, car crashes, and other ridiculous and seemingly unrealistic events that seemed to plague her daily life.

"Have you called Mia?" Chase asked, interrupting Haley's reverie.

She turned to him slowly and with an obvious lack of enthusiasm. "What for?"

"To find out where she is and why she's so late," he clarified for her. "I mean, she always missed dates with me when we were together, but it was _always _for her music. She never took_ that_ for granted."

Haley gaped at him. "You're blaming her for what went wrong between you?" she asked incredulously, feeling defensive.

"No, of course not," Chase started, appearing just as defensive. "It's just that for the two and a half years that we were actually together I barely saw her. It wasn't till after we broke up that she started coming around Tric again."

"Till you started dating Alex," Haley supplied.

"I guess," Chase agreed.

"Well, it doesn't take a genius to realize that getting together with Alex after it had only been a week since your breakup is pretty low."

"And breaking up with me with a text message isn't?" Chase demanded.

Haley turned away, unwilling to say something that she'd regret. In truth, she liked Chase a lot. Hell, she'd even gotten Karen to sell Tric to him just a few months before. But one thing that she couldn't stand was seeing her friends hurt. And Mia was definitely hurting.

"Hey, what'd I miss?" an unexpectedly high-pitched and cheerful voice rang out.

Chase and Mia turned to find Mia, wearing a low-cut corset top and form-fitting jeans that accentuated her height. She smiled widely at them, lowering her bag and guitar to the gravel ground.

"Nothing," Haley answered distractedly. "Where have you been?"

"I just stopped to get the tour bus essentials." Mia held up a camera and a bag of junk food.

"You do know there'll be professional photographers there as well as fully-paid meals?" Haley asked her, smiling amusedly.

"But those pro-photographers have nothing on me. Plus, I love me some snacks. They're so hard to come by when we can't make any unscheduled stops."

"Alright, if you say so."

"Hey, Haley," the driver of the bus called to them.

Haley turned automatically to face him. "Yeah, Eddie?"

"It's 7:15," he reminded her.

"Got it," she shouted back to him, giving him the thumbs up. "Alright," she said, turning back to Chase and Mia. "Well, I'm going to go drag Chris off the bus one last time to have an _appropriate _goodbye. I'll be right back." She walked up the steps of the bus.

"So," Chase said once they were alone.

"So," Mia repeated, smiling still, albeit slightly sadly.

"I'm going to miss you, Catalano." He grabbed her suddenly and tightly, hugging her, and putting his head into her hair.

Mia breathed slowly to remind herself to stay calm. She hated how her inner courage seemed to be nearly extinct when she was back around Chase. She'd gotten so strong after being discovered by Haley and Peyton. Now she just felt like that weak little piano player she used to be in a band that treated her like crap.

"I'll miss _you_," she whispered to him, clinging to him.

"We can't keep saying goodbye like this," he joked to her, quoting the line that they used to say when they were still together and she'd have to leave on tour.

"But it's always so much better when I get back," she concluded, finishing the second half of the line. She felt a slight sting in her eyes as they dampened.

Chase pulled away from her, smiling a little impersonally. "Kill it out there, you rock star.

"Don't kill it in there," Mia told him, eyeing the bar. "You make really terrible drinks, Chase. When I get back we definitely need a refresher course in mixing drinks."

His smile touched his eyes, melting Mia's heart.

"You got it."

"Well, _well_," Chris Keller's always recognizable voice interrupted. "Hitting on my tour mate." He shook his head disappointingly. "And you call yourself my best friend."

"No, I don't actually," Chase responded immediately. "We've gone over this, and _you _need to stop hitting on Mia here for her sake while you're both gone."

Mia lowered her eyes, unwilling to give Chase approval for his demand that Chris leave her alone. Sure, she didn't like Chris, but it'd been so long since anyone had paid such close attention to her. It felt nice to be wanted again—to be pursued for once. Plus, it was nice to think that Chase might be getting jealous, even if there was just a very slight possibility.

"I make no promises," Chris answered cheerily.

"_Chris_," Haley drawled. "You've made _multiple _promises to the contrary."

"Have I?" Chris asked confusedly. "No, I don't think Chris Keller went on the record for anything."

"I _will _hurt you," Haley warned.

"Well, Chris Keller can handle himself a little Haley James. It's that basketball husband of yours that I have a problem with."

"Well, I will—" Haley started.

"Relax," Mia cut her off. "I _can _handle Chris despite any major and obvious communication flaws that he has."

"What are you talking about flaws, honey? Chris Keller is the master of the sassy rebuttal."

Mia smiled assuredly at Haley. "I can handle him," she said again.

"If you say so." Haley smiled encouragingly.

"It's time," Eddie called from the bus again.

Haley sighed. "Alright, this is it." She brought Mia close to her for a hug. "If anyone _can _handle him," Haley whispered into Mia's ear. "It's you."

Mia smiled without realizing it, weirdly proud of that comment. Why did she like the idea of being able to handle Chris Keller of all people?

"Don't worry about us," Mia told the group. "We'll be just fine."

She turned to find Chris smiling warmly at her. She mimicked his gesture. It was a start.

"That's right," Chris added. "Fine. As in, have you seen how fine we are? We are the two _finest_ singers in the biz."

"It was a nice moment," Haley commented. "And you just had to ruin it," she said to Chris, shaking her head. There still was a hint of a smile in the corner of her mouth.

"Off we go." Mia picked up her big, walking back toward the bus to load it.

"Quick, Hales. Declare your love for me and I'll stay," Chris shouted loudly as he began walking backward toward the bus after Mia.

Haley glared again. Chris just smirked back at her.

Mia stuffed her bag in the side compartment of the bus before walking to the door. Chris was standing there, blocking her way with a mischievous grin on his face.

Maybe he was a little more than she bargained for. Maybe she wouldn't be able to handle him after all.

"You ready, Mia Catalano?" he asked, offering up his hand.

She eyed him suspiciously but accepted the help.

"Welcome home," he whispered into her ear when the door closed behind her.

"Home," she repeated, smiling in content. There was no other place she'd rather be.

* * *

**A/N: And we're finally on the road. That's actually what I was originally going to call this fic: On the Road. Fun Fact! :P If it weren't for Tyler Hilton's awesome song name than it would still be called that. Anyway, what did you think? They're just going to be on the bus in the next chapter (with no personal space and no where for Mia to avoid Chris). Haha. And I think that the chapter after that will feature their first show. It's all speeding up now. This will hopefully be the start of them if you know what I mean. Also, I hope it was obvious that Chris and Mia were implying that the tour bus is their home because in my mind they were the two that loved it the most. Anywho, please review. **


	4. You Can't Break a Broken Heart

**Disclaimer: Not mine...**

**A/N: Another chapter! :) I seriously love you all! You are definitely my most loyal readers and reviewers out of all my stories. I'm trying to update my stories an equal amount, but you guys get the edge if I'm ever lacking in time. And I love to read any rambling. Seriously tell me everything that you think about this fic. I love the longest ones. And even tell me what you'd like to see in the future. Also, I reference an actual OTH scene from 9x10 in this chapter that had Dan, Chris, and Julian in it. Anyway, please review (even if you're new to the story).**

* * *

Chapter 4: You Can't Break a Broken Heart

Mia opened her eyes to find Chris angled above her, holding her camera. He smiled down at her with his typical deviant flare, snapping a picture with the full flash.

"Geezus!" Mia cried out, pulling her blanket over her head to cover herself. "What the hell are you doing?"

"I just wanted to prove to Chase that you sleep like a dead person. We had a bet going," Chris explained, snapping another one.

Mia grumbled, throwing her pillow at him. "Well, I'm _not _sleeping anymore."

"No," Chris agreed. "Now I'm taking these for my personal collection."

Mia gritted her teeth. "Do not lump me in with your bevy of groupies that were willing to pose for you once upon a time."

Mia hopped off her bed to the floor, walking determinedly to the back of the bus to avoid him. She went into the unbelievably small bus bathroom to do her morning routine.

Chris followed her to the back, standing just outside the door.

"You think Chris Keller has groupies?" he yelled through the door, leaning his back against it. "I _do_. I'm just touched that you know so much already. Maybe I need to add you to my most adoring fan list for the future."

Mia opened the door suddenly, causing Chris to stumble backward.

"Careful," he muttered under his breath when he regained his balance. "If I go down, there'll be no show tomorrow."

Mia fixed him with her knowing smile. "Are you suggesting that Mia Catalano can't hold her own as the main event of a show?"

Chris' eyes widened in excitement. "Did Mia Catalano just refer to herself in the third person?"

Mia crossed her arms across her chest, realizing her mistake.

"I'm so proud," he spoke softly, sniffling.

Chris pulled her in for an inescapable hug. Mia stood there wordlessly at first until Chris' hands began travelling lower and lower down her backside.

She stepped away from him, slapping his hand roughly.

"It's still morning, Chris," Mia complained. "At least give me an hour to wake up before you start trying to feel me up again."

"You heard the girl," a strong, feminine voice with a British accent ordered. "I want a five-foot distance at all times."

Chris turned to the built-in couch to find Miranda Stone, the gorgeous and tan-skinned music manager.

"Weren't you deported back across the pond?" Chris asked, narrowing his eyes unkindly.

Miranda smiled contemptuously back at him. "And then I married a US citizen, so Sire Records took me back graciously to babysit the two of you."

"What a prestigious position for someone of your qualifications," Chris quipped, sitting down on the couch next to her. "I still don't know why we need someone from the label here anyway. I'm conducting myself rather honorably." He put his arm around her shoulder.

"It's company policy. That way there can be no lawsuits." She eyed Chris pointedly. "Plus, we need to make sure that all of your shows run smoothly."

"I'd make sure of that," Chris argued.

"Well, unlike me, you're hardly qualified and you're a spoiled American brat that hits on everything in sight." Miranda pulled his arm off her shoulders, throwing it back at him.

Chris' jaw dropped. "_Rude. _Great. Now you're forcing me to rethink everything I've concluded about foreign chicks."

Miranda stood up, smiling less-than-cordially still. "I'll be at the front of the bus with the rest of the band." She turned to Mia. "Scream if you need anything. You know, breakfast or my handgun."

Mia smiled widely. "I'll definitely take you up on the first one." She glanced at Chris. "And I'll keep you posted on the second thing."

Chris grimaced unhappily. "Chris Keller can really feel the love."

Miranda rolled her eyes at him, walking to the front of the bus.

Mia grabbed her guitar and sat down next to Chris on the couch, preparing to practice a song.

"Am I going to get a sneak preview of Mia Catalano's infamous talents?" His eyes glossed over her body.

She ignored him, striking her first chord on the guitar. "_Won't be so easy, this time to hurt me,_" she sang out loudly. "_You can try, and this time, oh baby, there are no tears left here to dry. If you think you can wound me like before. If you think you can do that anymore. Won't get too far, no_."

_"You can't break a broken heart,_" Mia continued her acoustic version of her song. "_So try your best now, baby. Try your best to break me. You can't break a broken heart. No damage you can do now. I'm immune to you now. You can't break what broke apart. There's nothing you can do to me no more. You can't break a broken heart." _

Chris Keller raised his hand like a student in school, interrupting her. She paused, sighing, turning to him expectantly.

"What?" she demanded.

"Your lyrics," Chris explained. "They're just so depressing."

"No, they're not," Mia argued, setting her guitar to the side of her.

"You can't break what broke apart?" Chris repeated her words.

"So maybe some of my songs have darker themes," Mia allowed. "But—"

"—But nothing. They're beautiful and tragic. And everyone knows that that's what makes a genius in a musician."

Mia frowned, surprised by his offhand compliment.

"What's your point then?" she asked him.

"Does Chris Keller always need to have a point?"

Mia cocked her head to the side, knowing that he very well knew the answer to that question.

"Fine," he began. "Your words reminded me a lot of something that Dan Scott said to me before Mission: Save Nathan Scott's Ass from Psycho Foreigners could commence!" He smiled, knowing Miranda had heard him.

Mia raised her head higher, fully intrigued. "I never really heard what happened with all of that. How did self-obsessed Chris Keller end up in the saving party of Nathan Scott anyway?"

Chris was instantly reminded of his conversation with Dan:

* * *

_"You sure you've thought this through, Keller?" Dan asked, walking forward with a gun in his hand. _

_"What is that supposed to mean?" Chris demanded, turning to face him. _

_"You say you want to help Haley. You have a thing for her," Dan spoke harshly. "You have since high school," he pointed out. _

_"So?" Chris Keller asked sheepishly, looking avoidantly to the side._

_"So from where I stand this is a lose-lose for you. If you don't bring Nathan back, you've failed her. If you do, you lose her anyway. Once Nathan comes home you're out of the picture." _

* * *

Chris pulled himself back to the present. "I did it for Haley," he admitted squarely.

"What?" Mia asked, taken off guard.

"Well, Nathan Scott is hardly worth dying over. He's attractive,_ I guess_, but—"

"What are you saying then?" Mia pulled her legs beneath her, willing Chris to get to the point.

Chris looked down at the ground. "Haley needs Nate. No matter how many times I tried to convince her otherwise, she came to that same lousy conclusion." Chris shook his head, dismayed. "And yet, when I met her all those years ago, can you imagine what I first thought?"

"That you had a lot in common?" Mia guessed, thinking over some of the stories that Haley had told her about Chris in the past. "That you two were possibly better suited than her and Nathan?"

"No," Chris spoke like it should've been obvious. "I thought that she was really, _really _hot. The whole music thing was just a perk."

Mia's lips quirked up. "Liar."

Chris smiled back at her. "Maybe, but why I fell for her isn't really the point of this story. It's everything that's happened since then."

Mia nodded, understanding. There never really was a why that perfectly explained the reason you fell for someone. It just happened, wonderfully and inexplicably. It'd only happened to Mia once, but the memories were still vivid.

"Haley needed Nathan," Chris went on. "But what was worse than that is that I also realized that Nate was far better for her in every way possible."

Chris leaned backward, wrinkling his forehead. "You know, the whole time that Haley and I were on tour, she was heartbroken over her split with Nate. I always knew that he'd be in her heart, but then she left and went back to him. The only problem was that Nathan wasn't too keen on taking her back just yet. He gave her the cold shoulder for a long time. It made me realize that the only thing I cared about was her happiness after all. I did all I could in my misguided way to get them back together."

Mia eyed him thoughtfully. "Who knew that Chris Keller was a big hopeless romantic at heart?"

Chris smiled half-heartedly. "There was this one time that Nathan was bitching me out—" Chris started.

"—Big surprise," Mia cut in.

"It was over something stupid that I _guarantee _was my fault. You know what he said to me after I'd screwed up for the thousandth time?"

Mia shook her head.

"He told me that '_Haley is the one that suffers the most_.' That rang true even last year when Nate was kidnapped by those crazy ass pro-killers. Haley was a mess—a heartbroken, empty mess. She needed Nate back. I just needed her to be happy again, so I did what I could. I helped bring him back for _her_."

"And then you lost her again?" Mia guessed, surprising herself with the pity she actually felt for him.

He shook his head. "I lost what I never had," he clarified. "That's how it was always meant to be."

"You don't think that in other life or in another place that you'd have had a shot with her?"

Chris just kept shaking his head. "I don't believe in all that what-if crap. I believe in choices and feelings. Haley fell in love with Nathan and fought to get him back, figuratively and literally. I fell for Haley and I eventually learned that you don't mess with that kind of love. You do what you can to protect it."

"But _why?" _Mia demanded. "Why were you willing to do so much for her if in the end you had to lose her?"

Chris shrugged his shoulders meaningfully. "Because she's worth it...and because it was the right thing to do. Chris Keller can do that every once in a while."

Mia took a deep breath. "That's pretty deep coming from Chris Keller with all of his notoriety."

"I've told people I'm mysterious," he simply supplied. "No one seems to believe me."

"That because we're never _really_ listening," Mia joked.

It was all she could do while she was still processing everything he'd just revealed to her. It explained a lot about him.

Sure, he was a cocky musician that fed off the approval of others, but weren't most musicians like that?

He had loved someone just like her. Stranger still, he had sacrificed in more ways than Mia could ever imagine. He _was _mysterious. Mia couldn't deny that her interest was piqued.

"So how do my lyrics remind you of all that?" she asked at last.

Chris smiled in spite of everything. "I thought it'd be obvious." He stood up suddenly, giving her one last glance. "It's in the title after all." He walked away from her toward the front of the bus.

Mia thought over that. Her title, _You Can't Break a Broken Heart_, held so much personal meaning for her. It was unfathomable that it could hold just as much meaning for someone like Chris Keller.

Mia smiled, accepting for the first time that there was someone just as broken in love as she was. She held onto hope that there was still a way to fix all of that. Maybe even with Chris Keller's _misguided _help.

* * *

**A/N: This was all very heartbreaking to write. Sorry if it wasn't as funny as the other chapters. I think that Mia had to learn all of this about Chris though. I don't know about all of you, but I truly believed that Chris loved Haley. Don't get me wrong, I'm a Naley fan through and through. But there are moments when you can tell that it was more than just a game to him and more than just the music. Like in 3x09 when Nathan and Chris are talking. Chris just gave Nathan all of Haley's demos and music fully paid for with his most prized guitar. Nate says to him, "I guess this makes us even." and then Chris replies by saying, "Maybe so, but that's not why I did it." The implications are there. Thoughts? Please review. ;)**


	5. No Good

**Disclaimer: Belongs to rightful owners. **

**A/N: Thank you all for keeping up with this. I really appreciate it. :) Anyway, sorry for the delay. I've been more into reading than writing lately. However, this chapter is extra-long. ;) And it's drama-filled. You'll see why soon. As always, review and enjoy. **

* * *

Chapter 5: No Good

"I _am going _to _kill you_," Mia Catalano shouted over the rumble of the bus' engine.

They had just arrived at the setting for their very first concert at a club in Atlanta, Georgia. They were on to perform in a matter of hours.

"What are you complaining about this time?" Miranda's waspish voice inquired.

Mia glared, feeling anger pulsate within her. "I thought that these shows were going to open with me and then Chris would headline and that's_ it_."

Miranda nodded in agreement, waving her hand as if this were old news. "That's right."

"_Really_? Then why are there _three _names on that promotional banner?" Mia pointed to the front of the club.

Miranda, Chris, Eddie-the-driver, and the rest of the band gazed out of the windshield to where she was pointing. The banner read:

_Mia Catalano. Chris Keller. Alex Dupré. One Night Only. _

"Alex Dupré?" Mia asked bitterly, widening her eyes. "Why the hell is her name up there?"

Miranda turned back to her. "Oops," she offered uncaringly with a smile. "I guess I forgot to mention that she's on the ticket for a couple of your shows."

Mia narrowed her eyes into slits. "You _forgot _to mention?"

Miranda sighed. "Relax. She'll be there for your first show tonight in Atlanta and your last show in Raleigh. That's only_ two _shows that you have to deal with your trivial issues with her."

"_Trivial?_" Mia repeated.

"I have to weigh in here," Chris Keller interrupted. "As happy as Alex will be to see me." He paused, leaning close to whisper something into Mia's ear. "And happy is really code for horny." He nudged Mia like they were having an inside joke. "However, it is _not _acceptable that she gets to perform _after _me. Chris Keller is the star here."

Mia fixed him with her pissed-off expression. He shut up instantly.

"Our _issues _are far from trivial," Mia went on angrily. "I can't believe that Haley didn't tell me about this."

"To be fair," Miranda provided. "Haley didn't actually know. John Knight at Sire Records made the call. You are our three highest-selling performers. It makes sense that you'd have some shows together."

"Yeah, if we didn't hate each other," Mia countered.

"Hey," Chris Keller piped up again. "I'm not part of that. You girls are far too hot for Chris Keller to hate."

Mia scowled at him again. He mimed zipping his lips and throwing away the key.

"I won't do it," Mia declared, turning back to Miranda.

"Actually you will for two reasons," Miranda began unfalteringly. "First, you have a contract with us that legally binds you to perform. Second," she added in a slightly sweeter tone. "You love this—the shows." She threw her arms in the air for exaggeration. "It's your passion and I know that you wouldn't quit for anything in this world."

"You don't know me," Mia argued, hating how childish that sounded.

"Actually, I think that I do," Miranda disagreed easily. "I left the States three years ago after Grubbs proposed to me. And after that you worked with him and helped him finish his album, but it was more than that. You helped convince him that music and passion could drive you to be the person that you wanted to be."

Mia barely even remembered producing Grubbs album. It felt like a lifetime ago. She'd been so focused on her breakup with Chase at the time.

"He started his shows in London and found me," Miranda continued. "I owe you for everything in my life that I love now, including music concerts like tonight."

Mia shrugged, feigning disdain.

Miranda smiled encouragingly. "So I think I do know you. You helped Grubbs use his music to heal. You know that it can do the same for you."

Mia frowned, considering Miranda's strangely helpful logic.

"Fine," she muttered, still thoroughly annoyed but letting it slide for the time being. "I'll do the show, but I'm _not _going to like it."

"Whatever you need to tell yourself."

Miranda walked intently off the bus into the back door of the club before Mia could change her mind. She had a tight schedule to keep anyway.

The rest of the band followed her, carrying all of their instruments with the help of Eddie.

"You ready for this?" Chris asked her when they were left alone at the front of the bus.

Mia smiled bravely, working to stay unnerved at the prospect of seeing Alex again. "As ready as I'll ever be."

"Good." Chris grinned. "And I'd like to hear the backstory of you and Alex some time. I bet it's dirty."

Mia scowled again. "You think everything's dirty."

Chris slung his guitar over his shoulder. "Only where credit is due, sweetheart."

Mia shook her head, refusing to be caught up in Chris's jokes at a time like this. She stalked off the bus after the band with Chris right on her heels. They made their way into the club with Chris jumping in front of her to lead the way.

They quickly arrived at the hallway that led to the club's dressing room. They followed the narrow path to the dimly lit room that would hold them until it was their turn on stage.

"Look who it is," Chris announced loudly, stopping once he'd reached the doorway of the room. He left Mia's view momentarily blocked. "My biggest fan," he continued, turning back to Mia with an amused glance. "Sorry, babe. You're a close second."

Mia pouted mockingly before pushing him forward into the room to see who he was talking about. Brown eyes locked on a familiar hazel color that always seemed to be gleaming mischievously.

"Mia," Alex Dupré acknowledged from across the room.

"Alex," Mia breathed through gritted teeth.

Both women stood completely still, facing the other with matching cold dispositions. They focused in on the other, ignoring Miranda, the band, and anyone else in the room.

"Is it just me?" Chris Keller interrupted their stare off, working to lighten the mood. "Or is there some sexual tension in this room?"

"Chris," both female musicians wailed at the same time, causing a short-lived break between them before they resumed their mutual glares.

"_Two _girls screaming out my name." Chris rubbed his lightly stubbled chin thoughtfully. "Feels like old times."

Both girls huffed in annoyance. He took the hint, wandering over to his own mirror to have some quality time with his reflection.

Alex made the first attempt at civility, walking slowly over to where Mia stayed grounded. "Look, Mia," she spoke in a professional tone. "I know we've had our differences in the past, but that's all _in the_ _past. _I'm really serious about my music."

Mia scoffed bitterly. "I can see that. You're more serious about your music than you were about your relationship with Chase."

Alex glowered, putting her unfriendly front back up. "Like you did anything any differently. I seem to remember you breaking up with Chase for _your _music career once upon a not so very long time ago."

Mia crossed her arms in front of her, smiling as callously as possible. "Maybe so, but _you _were the one who told me that you planned on making him happier than I ever did. So what happened to all of that?"

"I _did _make him happier than you," Alex told her bitingly. "And I still would, but I wasn't willing to sacrifice my music for a guy."

"So you broke his heart?" Mia asked disbelievingly. "_Again_?"

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"You stopped writing him letters when he went into the air force," Mia explained. "And right after he asked you to move in with him you bolted."

"That's really none of your business," Alex informed her matter-of-factly.

Mia gaped at Alex uncomprehendingly. "_None of my business_? I was in love with him. I wanted him back. I was willing to do anything to get him back. And what do you do? You take advantage of him at every turn and he fell for it time and time again for some unknowable reason."

Alex lost all sense of civil control. "The _reason_ is that he loved me more than you." Her lips turned upward in a distasteful smile. "_He _chose _me_."

"Ladies," Miranda's responsible voice kicked in, working to mediate the situation before it escalated any further. "Why don't we take a breather?"

"No!" Chris' voice reached an unfathomable decibel.

Everyone in the room turned to stare at him.

"You don't break up a possible girl fight ever!" He kicked a lounge chair in the middle of the room. "Chris Keller is fairly certain that you can go to hell for that." He turned to Miranda with piercing eyes. "Foreigners will _definitely _go to hell for that."

Miranda rolled her eyes at him. It was becoming the only acceptable response to his outbursts.

Both Alex and Mia followed Miranda's directions anyway. Alex sat back down at her own dressing station while Mia found her own spot far away.

Chris glanced dazedly between the two gorgeous brunettes, deciding which one to help simmer down. He opted for the actress, settling down on the counter in front of her, completely invading on Alex's space.

They stared unemotionally at each other for several long seconds.

"So how's the tour?" Chris asked at last.

"Fine," Alex barked out, apparently still stressed from her interaction with Mia.

Chris held out his hands in a peace offering. "Don't shoot the seductive headliner."

Alex's features reluctantly softened ever-so-slightly, but her smile remained forced. "It's fine. It's great. It's everything I ever dreamed about," she told him in a less-than-convincing tone.

Chris raised an eyebrow. "I'm sensing inner turmoil here. What's going on? Talk to Chris Keller." He put his arm on her shoulder.

Alex slapped it off. "You expect me to talk to the man that told me my music was crappy?"

Chris tsked. "Now, now. Chris Keller never called the music crappy. It was one song, and just because it was crappy on acoustic."

Alex fiddled with her hair. "I still hate you."

"Retract the claws, sweetheart. Chris Keller means no harm. He did get you your big break on tour after all. You could be a little grateful."

He'd been saying that a lot lately, Chris realized with the slightest level of resentment.

Alex turned her eyes toward him menacingly. "Yeah, thanks for that."

Chris tsked again. "You could use some work on the sincerity."

"I'm sorry," she told him in the same angry voice. "Thanks for bringing my arch nemesis to open on tour for you."

Chris nearly laughed. "Arch nemesis? This is getting a little too _The Avengers _for me, Dupré. And Mia's an incredibly talented musician that's been in this business longer than you. I'm just lucky she agreed to the tour."

Alex eyed him suspiciously, ignoring his compliments of Mia. "What are you up to with her anyway?"

Chris deflected by instinct. He lowered himself back to the ground, spotting Mia on the other side of the room being reamed out by Miranda. He looked back at Alex innocently.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He began walking away from her.

Alex tugged on his jacket to stop him. "Bullshit. You knew I was on the ticket tonight, but you didn't tell her. I called you last week about it and she still didn't know until about ten minutes ago."

Chris' features remained neutral. "What's your point?"

Alex bit her lip, considering something. "You're playing this girl," she stated finally. "For what I don't know yet, but you're definitely playing her. It can't just be for a good lay. Chase already told me I was the best he'd ever had." She smiled proudly. "So you could do better—like Chase did."

That struck a nerve in Chris Keller that he didn't even know he had. He leaned impossibly close to Alex and whispered, "From what I've heard tonight about your own relations, Dupré, so could Chase."

Alex nearly slapped him before he'd backed away from the firing zone.

"Now what?" Miranda demanded, turning her attention to them now. "I stop one fight from breaking out, Keller, and you just start up another."

Chris pointed accusingly at Alex. "Hey, she took the first swing."

Miranda paused, accepting his defense slowly. "The imbecile has a point. It seems self-righteous Alex Dupré is in the middle of every little squabble this evening."

"_Imbecile_?" Chris repeated, disapproving.

"_Self-righteous_?" Alex demanded, jumping to her feet.

Mia sat back comfortably in her chair, laughing at the spectacle. It was so rare that she wasn't the one doing the name calling at Alex.

Miranda turned back to her, pissed-off. "Stuff it, Catalano," she ordered in her heavy British accent before turning back to the others. "Any more altercations tonight, of any sort, will result in the cancellation of tonight's show," she warned them seriously.

Chris bit his lip, appearing to weigh the positive against the negative of that threat.

"Or possibly an entire tour," she notified him sternly.

Chris groaned noisily, but appeared to give up like the others. Mia glared at Miranda, but didn't argue. Alex slowly sat back down. The rest of the band took it all in mutely.

"Good," Miranda asserted, satisfied for the time being. "Now let's put on one hell of a show."

* * *

**A/N: I know I said this chapter would be their first show, but it would've been way too long. I've saved it for the next chapter, which will be up much sooner than the last. Tell me your thoughts on everything. There was less Chris/Mia in this chapter, but I had to show how everyone interacts with Alex. It will be very important long term for this story. Review! Review! Review!**


	6. If I'm Not Right

**Disclaimer: Nothing but my creativity!**

**A/N: Can I just say that I love Tyler Hilton, Kate Voegele, and Jana Kramer a ton? I think that they are all so talented and it kills me to write anything bad about any of them. And I recommend watching the video clip on youtube from 5x07 that's called Kate Voegele - No Good. It's kind of how I imagine this first scene would take place, but only the Mia parts of course. Review! **

* * *

Chapter 6: If I'm Not Right

Chris was the self-proclaimed star of the night's show, but Mia was dolled up, sexy, and had a growing reason to wow the crowd with her vocals.

She felt like it was a competition—her against Alex.

That's how it had been with Chase, and Alex had won. Now Mia needed to sing her heart out and impress the audience more than her country counterpart. It was only fair that she was the better musician if Alex had gotten the boy.

Mia stepped up to the microphone on center stage, feeling the heat from the spotlight pound down on her. She slowly raised her eyes to crowd. The entire club began their loud cheering and praise for the young artist.

Mia's thoughts scattered. She couldn't remember what had been upsetting her. She couldn't remember that she'd vowed to beat Alex. She couldn't even remember why she hated Alex in the first place.

There was just her on the stage without a care in the world other than her music. Her and the music. The music and her. There was nothing else that mattered now.

She took a deep breath, striking the first chord of her song on her guitar and going into her intro with the rest of the band.

"_I never feared the unexpected_," she sang loudly, closing her eyes. "_Until I found myself in this peculiar place_."

She opened her eyes, allowing a smile to form on her lips. "_Unaware where I was headed._" Her eyes wandered around the massive club, loving the energy from her fans. "_Oh, it turns out it was your footsteps I had chased._"

She continued the song in a daze, thriving off her own music. She hit the chorus in her confident stride:

_"I'm moving in reverse...under your mighty curse. I hate myself for loving you. I turn my head away...but my heart will remain...till the day I learn you're no good for me." _

Chris Keller stood off to the side of the stage, watching her with mesmerized eyes. Mia was even more talented in person than he'd ever imagined. She was killing each note, improving with each line.

Alex walked out of the dressing room to backstage, immediately spotting Chris to the side. She considered ignoring him entirely, but noticed the undivided attention he had for the stage, and more specifically, the girl on it.

Alex had planned on avoiding Mia's show altogether, but Mia's powerful voice could be heard all the way back in the dressing room anyway. She could see that Chris was just as impressed with Mia as she was, but his eyes showed something more.

He was entranced.

She walked over to him, elbowing him in the ribs.

"Ow," he moaned, glaring at her. "That hurt."

Alex smiled knowingly. "You like her," she pointed out flatly, nodding toward Mia on stage, who was starting up another song.

Chris chuckled. "Excuse me? Chris Keller doesn't _like_ anyone." He used air quotes over the word. "He hooks up with them, and contrary to popular belief, he won't even sleep with just _anyone_."

Alex raised her eyebrows, questioning. "Oh?"

Chris nodded. "For instance, she has to be of legal age."

Alex giggled. "Practical. Chris Keller wouldn't survive being somebody's bitch in prison."

Chris narrowed his eyes at her, ignoring her implication. "And she must be without noticeable handicaps that would hinder sexual performance."

Alex snorted. "Geez, you're such a guy."

Chris smiled widely. "That's the rumor."

Alex shook her head, amused for a short moment.

"It's okay to like her you know," she added rather sincerely. "I went my whole life without a real relationship until Chase. I thought they were overrated, but when you have that one person that does it for you—that turns you on, that makes you smile and laugh, that makes you happier than you ever thought you could be—" Alex paused, swallowing. "It's what life is all about."

"You too, huh?" Chris asked in a groan, sensing her distress. "You fell in love with Chase Adams."

Alex nodded slowly like it was almost too painful to admit.

"You wish you never left on tour?" Chris asked her, feeling only slightly guilty for having been the one to set everything up for her.

Alex shook her head. "Of course not. I meant everything I said to Mia before. I'm serious about my music. I love it more than anything, but I always hoped I'd have Chase to go home to after it was all over."

"Maybe you will," Chris offered, wondering why he felt the need to comfort everyone lately.

"Right." Alex snorted again, disbelieving. "He was pretty clear about things when we broke up. We were done..._for good_."

"Chase is a pushover though," Chris told her, smiling. "There's still hope."

Alex nodded, looking down at her expensive heels. She felt the small sting of tears begin to form in her eyes. "How is he?" she asked after a quiet moment.

"Chase?" Chris supplied. "He's...um...he's...well...he's still in Tree Hill," he finished at last.

Alex sighed, annoyed. "Do you even know anything about him?"

"He works in a bar. He can_not _bartend well. He has a creepy relationship with mini-Keller. And he slept with my girlfriend," he ticked off the list of things he knew, shrugging because it wasn't very much. "It's not my fault we spend most of the time talking about Chris Keller. It's a much more interesting topic."

Alex frowned, repeating his list in her mind. "He _slept with your girlfriend_?"

Chris face-palmed himself. "I probably wasn't supposed to mention that again, and it's _ex_-girlfriend now if that helps."

Alex finally succumbed to the tears that were desperate to break out. "Excuse me," she spoke softly, running past him to be alone again in the dressing room.

"Making women cry," Miranda noted, walking up to Chris after having witnessed his conversation with Alex. "Nice work, Keller. That almost counts as an altercation." She shoved him toward the stage. "You're up."

Chris nearly slammed into Mia as she made her way off the stage now that her set was over.

Her smile was bright and genuine and infectious. In less than a second, Chris Keller had the same dooey eyes as every other person in that club simply because of her presence.

"Good luck," Mia said to him before vanishing to the side.

Chris stared dumbfounded at the crowd as they waited for him to begin his performance. He finally remembered his purpose for being there, picking up his guitar and heading to the middle stage and the microphone.

"How's everyone doing tonight?" he asked loudly into it, while the spotlight brought him wanted attention.

A chorus of screams sounded all around.

"Alright," Chris chanted, loving their enthusiasm. "How about another round of applause for Mia Catalano?"

Everyone happily complied.

"Alright," he said again when the noise died down. "How about we kick this off with a bang?"

The yeses were unanimous.

He heard the band begin the song, awaiting his vocals. "_Yeah. You ready? I'm ready. One, two, three, four._" He joined in on guitar. "_Wheels running fast down the one-eighteen. Every kiss is sweeter with some nicotine. The little white lightning underneath my seat, oh yeah." _

Just like Mia, he was lost in the rest of the song. The words flowed out of him from another place—a deeper place. He was in the zone, never wanting to leave until his eyes spotted Mia in the crowd in front of him.

She was walking toward the bar, casting a smile in his direction every few notes.

He directed his lyrics at her without thinking about it. "_Imma moving target, baby. No one's gotten through me yet. But it's worth a shot; it'll be something that you won't forget." _His eyes locked on hers. "_I'm gunna be your next tattoo. After all the things imma do to you. I don't have to run the bases cuz I hit home runs. Stay away from my trigger, imma loaded gun." _

Mia turned away from him, ordering something from the bartender. Chris finished his song, quickly diving into the next one as soon as possible in order to join her.

He completed his set a while later after an encore song was demanded by the audience. He nearly ran off the stage after, bumping into Alex on the side stage.

"Watch it," she ordered him.

"Kill it, country girl," he told her with a wink, still eyeing the bar where Mia had spent his entire set drinking.

Mia lifted her eyes to the stage, drunkenly realizing that Chris' set was over and Alex was now making her way on to sing.

Mia bit her tongue, willing herself to just get through the rest of the night and then she'd be back on the road.

Alex's sweet voice rang out in the room, "_Out of all of the places in this little town." _Mia tuned out as many lines as she could. "_Since we been over, been trying like crazy to get you out of my head." _

Mia finally remembered why she hated Alex again. Alex didn't simply win Chase; she was almost impossibly talented at everything she tried.

It made Mia jealous, angry, and bitter. She downed another shot.

"_So-o-o...why you wanna...show up in a old t-shirt that I love?"_ Alex's voice sang beautifully._ "Why you gotta tell me that I'm looking good? Don't know what...you were thinkin'...you were doing...moving in for a hug...like you don't know I'm coming unglued? Why you gotta? Why you wanna...make me keep wanting you?_"

Mia hated the obvious emotion behind Alex's voice. There was real sadness and heartbreak in each lyric that she belted out.

It wasn't nearly as empowering as Mia's music, Mia thought to herself proudly, but when she glanced up on stage she could see actual tears in Alex's eyes.

Sure, she was an actress, but this was a damn good performance.

Chris wandered into the crowd during the song in search of Mia at the bar.

"Hey, Sexy-and-Talented. Can I buy you a drink?" Chris asked once he found her, easily sliding onto the stool next to her.

She raised her current drink in the air as if say _I've got it covered_. It was a simple enough look, but there was an underlying hint of despondency hidden in her stunning mahogany brown eyes.

"Shit. What's wrong?" he asked instantly in the most concerned voice he could muster. "Talk to Chris Keller, baby."

Mia sighed, taking another long sip from her new drink. "Why her?" she mumbled so quietly that it was nearly inaudible.

"Excuse me?" Chris asked, confused like usual.

Mia drank more. "Why her?" she repeated more sharply. "Why did he have to choose _her_?"

Chris shrugged, still not following the conversation. "Why did who choose what?"

"Chase!" Mia explained in a raised voice. "Why did Chase choose Alex over me?"

"I don't—" Chris started.

"Was it because she's a gorgeous, talented, leggy brunette?"

"I still don't—" he began again, this time expecting to be cut off.

"Is it because she's a kick-ass musician? Is it because she can mix drinks better than a seasoned frat guy? Is it because she wears the most revealing shirts in existence?" Her voice had steadily increased in volume as she'd continued her rant, earning the undesirable stares from the nearest clubgoers.

Chris placed his arm on her shoulder to better calm her down. "I don't know," he finally got out.

Mia exhaled loudly, quieting down. "Because I do all of those things." She paused, sniffling lightly. "I _am _all of those things, but he still picked _her_." She placed her head in her hands to cover herself.

"How many of these have you had?" he asked, lifting up a shot glass and smelling the intense air of alcohol around her.

When she cried louder Chris fumbled a little, searching for a better thing to say. "You're so much more than all of that," he offered at last.

Mia slowly raised her eyes to meet his. The distinct sign of tears were there, becoming more prominent as time went on.

"Alex and I, we're just so similar," Mia admitted reluctantly. "He obviously has a type."

"Douchey Chase?" Chris questioned, nodding in agreement. "Yeah, he goes for the successful and beautiful types. Except for Not-Alex. She was a classless bitch, but she was _really _good in bed."

Mia choked out a small laugh. "Who's Not-Alex?"

"Tara," he clarified.

"Bitchy ex-girlfriend?" Mia inquired.

He nodded wordlessly, smiling despite the crying woman in front of him. "See look at how well this tour is going. We've created appropriate nicknames for each other's exes, and this is only our first show."

"Bitchy and Douchey?" Mia raised her eyes, suggesting they could do better.

"I'll admit there's room to improve, but we do have plenty of time."

"Yeah, we do," Mia agreed, sipping more of her drink from a straw. "More time on the road means more time away from Tree Hill."

"Hey, I'll drink to that." He snapped his fingers to get the bartender's attention and order. "Chris Keller will have the passion fruit mojito." He turned to Mia. "And the rock star over here will have...?"

Mia's eyes began to well over again. "And more time away from Tree Hill means more time away from Chase," she rambled on.

Chris waved the bartender away. "What is it about Chase anyway? Why are you and Alex still so hung up on him?"

Mia shook her head, clearly not in the mood to discuss it.

"Is he the best forty-five seconds in bed or something?" he pried anyway.

Mia's face scrunched up. "Thirty seconds," she corrected.

Chris smiled, enjoying that intimate fact about his best friend.

"I mean, I get it," Chris offered. "He's a nice guy, a little easy on the eyes..."

Mia eyed him warily, wondering where he was going with this.

"My point is that he's not exactly a catch," Chris elaborated. "He just works in a bar after all."

"_And _he's a pilot in the air force," Mia added nostalgically, remembering how he tried to take her up flying a few times.

"Nah. Not anymore," he started, noting the confused expression on Mia's face. "It's a long story," he explained without really explaining. "Mia, if the guy was so great, how on earth did he lose someone as incredible as you?"

The words hit Mia like a hurricane, wrapping around her and consuming her whole. She suddenly realized that if Chase didn't want her and probably never would again, then she would find someone else that actually did.

Mia wasted no time throwing her arms around Chris' unsuspecting shoulders. Before he could get another word in she pressed her wet lips to his in a sloppy yet fierce kiss.

Chris pulled away instantly. Shocked couldn't begin to describe his feelings right then.

"I'm not right for this," he told her, surprising himself with his words' meaning.

This was what he was _right for_—angry, drunken sex intended to piss of an ex at a state of intense vulnerability.

He wanted nothing more than to do that with her. But for some improbable reason, his conscious had chosen that exact moment to kick in.

"We shouldn't," he told her more forcibly, thinking of Chase back at the bar. "We_ can't _do that."

Mia stared at him for a moment. Chris stood completely still as he waited for her reaction to his unthinkable rejection.

"I think I'm going to be sick," she mumbled eventually, throwing her hand over her mouth as she ran toward the bathrooms.

Making girls cry and throw up seemed to be his only specialty lately, Chris thought to himself, disappointed.

Yes, he'd screwed over his own chance of getting with Mia, but that didn't change the fact that she'd kissed _him_, he realized. He touched his lips, remembering the recent moment that would surely be permanently infused in his memory.

He wasn't right for her yet, but that didn't mean that he wouldn't be someday.

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**A/N: Argh! I really just want them to get together already! Haha, but I have to develop them more together of course. I hate how down in the dumps I've had Mia be. I really just want to be like: here's Chris, he's a hot and seriously talented better replacement for that Chase guy. Unfortunately, I don't think Mia would listen too well to that. They're on their way though, people. ;) First Kiss! It wasn't exactly romantic, but they're moving in the right direction I think. Anyway, REVIEW!**


	7. Might Have Been

**Disclaimer: Will never be mine! If it had been Mia and Chris would have gotten together!**

**A/N: After a couple drama-filled chapters this will probably feel like filler, but it's building everything up I promise. And it's purely Chris/Mia goodness. ;) I'm really excited for the three chapters that follow. Anyway, REVIEW!**

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Chapter 7: Might Have Been

Mia's head was pounding harder than it ever had before. It was throbbing and aching with an impossible severity she didn't think would ever pass.

She slowly, painfully opened her eyes. An annoying light seemed to immediately fill her eyes despite the shade that had been pulled down over the hotel room's window.

_Hotel room? _

Mia studied her surroundings with squinted eyes. She was lying in a bed, wearing sweatpants and a ragged t-shirt, in what could only be a hotel room.

She definitely didn't remember putting those clothes on last night. In fact, she couldn't remember a single thing from the night before.

She knew she'd performed on stage, but that was the extent of her memory. She knew there'd been a bar. That was the only explanation for the killer headache she was nursing at the moment.

She got out of bed with deliberate slowness in a weak attempt to keep herself from getting lightheaded. The dizziness hit her in a wave anyway. She sat back down on the bed, waiting for it to pass.

She finally got back up and headed into the bathroom to take in her reflection. It wasn't a pretty sight. Mia let out an audible gasp as she studied herself. Her hair was a messy, knotted set of chocolate waves. Her eyes were bloodshot, and there were noticeable, unflattering bags right underneath.

"Well, holy hell," she mumbled under her breath, backing away, vowing to never drink again. She looked worse than she ever remembered seeing herself, and she only had herself to blame.

She traveled back into the hotel room in search of any clues that would hint at her activities from the night before. Anything that offered insight into possible mistakes she had drunkenly made.

She noticed a small parchment of paper on the bedside table. A note, she realized upon further inspection, which had been written in meticulous handwriting. It read:

_Have a good night, gorgeous? Breakfast downstairs at your earliest convenience. XO—C.K. _

Mia groaned. Chris would never let whatever had happened go.

She considered ignoring his invitation, preferring to keep her dignity somewhat intact, but upon hearing the rumble of her hungry stomach, she thought otherwise.

She slipped on her favorite boyfriend jeans, a plain black tank top, and her red leather jacket. She decided that if she had any hope of facing Miranda and the band again, then she would at least try to look professional.

She looked back down at the note again and noticed a large bottle of water and an Advil next to it. She snatched both up eagerly, reluctantly grateful at Chris for thinking of it, even if it felt like there was a hidden agenda behind it. At the very least he was sure to milk this for a very long time, Mia thought to herself, annoyed.

She unenthusiastically left her room on a mission to find that breakfast that Chris had referred to. She got into the nearest elevator and went down a level. It opened shakily, revealing the lobby right outside.

She walked slowly out, still feeling the pains of her hangover, and found a side room that doubled as the morning breakfast spot. Complimentary, she assumed.

She had sunglasses slung over her eyes that kept the bright lights overhead slightly dimmed. She lifted them to the top of her head to scan the room's patrons in search of members from her tour bus' party.

She spotted Chris alone at a table with enough food for ten people. She smiled at the sight, slowly walking over to him.

"Well, if it isn't everyone's favorite lightweight," Chris greeted her, stuffing a forkful of eggs into his mouth. "How is Mia Catalano on this lovely morning?"

"Mhmm," Mia mumbled lamely, sitting down across from him and covering her eyes with her hand. "Shh."

"Don't tell me," Chris continued in his normal, unchanged volume. "Hangover?"

Mia's eyes shot daggers at him.

Chris smirked. "Is that anyway to treat the man that saved you half of his breakfast?" He held up just one of the plates that were still filled with an assortment of delicious, mouth-watering foods.

Mia eyed it desperately, biting her lip.

Chris sensed her eagerness, shoving the plate toward her. "Go at it, drunky."

Mia's eyes narrowed, but she took it anyway, quickly diving into a cinnamon roll. "Where is everyone?" she asked with a full mouth.

Chris pulled off a piece from the same cinnamon roll. "And to whom are you referring?"

Mia groaned again, unwilling to play his games. "Don't start."

Chris smiled, noting that Mia's typical snappiness was back. "Oh, the band. Well, they're off packing. Miranda's checking us out. Eddie's doing his pre-driving duties on the bus. And _we're _having breakfast."

Mia nodded, taking it all in, feeling majorly guilty that everyone else was actually being productive. "I don't remember coming here last night," she admitted to him, fishing for answers.

"I figured. You weren't exactly with all your faculties. You needed a real bed to sleep it off." His eyes twinkled evilly. "But Miranda had this place booked anyway. She wants us to spend most concerts nights in a hotel."

Mia nodded again; she knew this already. "And what exactly happened last night?" she asked after a pause, avoiding his eyes. "What did I do?"

Chris' smile turned into a smirk. "You don't remember." It was a statement, not a question—one that he seemed to find very entertaining.

Mia set her jaw. "No, and please don't mess with me, Chris. I don't want your biased, exaggerated version. Just the truth."

Chris took a long swig of his orange juice, purposefully making her wait. "You take the fun out of everything, Mia Catalano."

Mia shrugged uncaringly. "That's the goal."

Chris sighed, obviously giving up. "You performed your set," he began. "Unbelievably well, even by my standards."

Mia found herself blushing.

"I went on right after you, but instead of watching the incredible Chris Keller at work, you wandered self-servingly to the bar," Chris continued.

Suddenly it started coming back to Mia in small waves. She remembered being up on that stage. She remembered shooting back drink after drink at the bar. And finally she remembered...Alex.

"Shit," she mumbled under her breath. "Alex," she voiced her memory out loud, panic setting in.

What the hell had happened with Alex?

Chris grinned. "What about her?"

Mia rubbed her forehead, trying to remember even more. "I remember fighting with her," she explained more to herself than him, feeling dizzier with each word spoken. "We were arguing before the show. I was mad about her and Chase, so I started drinking."

Chris nodded in agreement. "Drowning your sorrows," he provided, taking another bite of food.

Mia closed her eyes. "Something like that."

Chris continued to eye her, studying her changing expressions. "You didn't bitch-slap her if that's what you're worrying about."

Mia opened and rolled her eyes. "It wasn't. I just can't believe I let her get to me _again. _I thought I was over everything."

Chris crossed his arms. "Most of the time it's easier to pretend that you're over something, but I've discovered it's usually better just to deal with whatever happened face on."

Mia put her hand in front of her mouth, working to stifle a laugh. "You deal with things face on?" Her tone was disbelieving. "You're the biggest avoider I've ever met," she accused.

Chris glared. "Untrue. I confronted Chase about Tara. I even kicked him for it."

Mia let out an inescapable laugh. "You _kicked _him?"

Chris smiled proudly. "Well, I didn't want to hurt my guitar hands."

Mia laughed even harder. "Well, of course," she played along, holding up his hands and inspecting them. "Chris Keller's hands are just too valuable."

Chris held them up dramatically. "Finally someone that understands."

Mia let him go, coming down from their banter moment. "But seriously," she began, smile removed. "You've avoided dealing with your feelings for Haley for years."

Chris glared at her again. "And you're avoiding your unresolved feelings for Chase," he countered.

"I am not," Mia argued sourly.

Chris cocked his head. "Mia Catalano, you may be sexy and clever, but you're easy to read and I'm calling your bluff."

Mia stewed in silence for a moment before softening. "What do you suggest then?"

Chris' eyes lit up like that was the very question he'd hoped she'd ask. That fact made her nervous.

"How about a little wager?" he asked her, eyebrows raised, challenging.

Mia knew it was a bad idea. It'd be like making a deal with the devil, but she couldn't stop the answer that flew out of her mouth. "Sure. What about?"

Chris smirked at her obvious interest. "Before our next show I'll talk to Haley."

Mia frowned, knowing where this was leading, but she was also surprised that he'd so easily agree to something like that_—_confronting Haley about his feelings. It was daring, brave, and suicidal.

"And you'll talk to Chase," he continued, showing no signs of wavering on their bet.

Mia took a deep breath. "I don't think you'll actually do it, though—talk to Haley."

Chris looked down at his food, debating something personal, before looking back at her. "I give you my word."

"Whatever that's worth," she mumbled quietly.

"Fine," Chris shot out, having heard her. "I'll go first. Next time Haley calls to check in, then I'll talk to her. And you can wait till you're ready to call Chase."

Mia's eyebrows knitted together. Could she really do this? Her side of the bet seemed much easier than his.

"Let me get this straight," she started, gazing into his light blue eyes. "You're going to talk to Haley about being in love with her _before _our next show, and I don't even have to uphold my side of this bargain until I'm ready?"

Chris nodded slowly like he was realizing the details of the deal for the first time as well. "A deal is a deal," he said at last, holding his hand out across the table for her to take.

Mia looked at it, deciding if it was worth agreeing to. She ultimately realized it was when she took his hand in hers and shook it with her fierce grip. "A deal is a deal," she echoed.

"There you two lovebirds are," a snappish voice cut in.

Mia and Chris both dropped each other's hands and turned to face their intruder. Miranda. Of course.

"We're all checked out," she went on. "Be on the bus in ten." With that last parting line, she turned on her heels and stalked out of there.

Mia shifted in her seat uncomfortably after she'd left. "I gotta go pack," she announced suddenly, standing up from the table. "Thanks for the breakfast."

Chris' brow furrowed. "Anytime," he said distractedly, studying her up and down once more. "You really don't remember anything else from last night?" he demanded curiously.

Mia swayed from side to side, thinking through the night again. She shook her head. "Nope. Nothing else."

Chris looked disappointed at that, but he made his expression neutral before she could question him. "See you on the bus then," he said, sliding past her back into the lobby.

Mia watched dazedly as he went, a deep suspicion creeping over that he was keeping something from her—something important. She just didn't know what yet. But now, with the bet in place, she happily realized she had plenty of time to manipulate it out of him.

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**A/N: I'm assuming you all know what Chris is keeping from her. ;) It was in the last chapter after all. REVIEW!**


	8. Can't Stop Now

**Disclaimer: Not mine!**

**A/N: Sorry for the delay! I've been busy with life, but it's finally up. Review, kiddies! **

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Chapter 8: Can't Stop Now

They were back on the bus again, steadily making their way to their next show in Augusta. Everyone was relaxing beforehand, easily following into their road trip groove that came so naturally to musicians.

Mia was currently positioned horizontally on the bus' built-in couch, her legs sprawled across Chris' lap. Any boundaries had long been dispelled, mainly due to Chris' complete lack of self-awareness.

He was currently inspecting Mia's feet with such rapt curiosity that she was beginning to feel creeped out.

"You're not one of those guys with a foot fetish?" she demanded, only partially joking.

He picked her feet up, studying them closely before dropping them again and letting them fall back on top of him. "Trust me," he started, eyes turning to meet hers. "If I did, yours wouldn't interest me."

Mia scowled, bringing her legs off of him and hugging them tightly to her body. "I have great feet," she argued, sounding uncommonly self-conscious.

His eyes twinkled. "They're decent," he amended, inching closer to her. "They'll do."

Before Mia could process his words and decide on their meaning, Chris had moved closer to her, grabbing at her ankles and pulling her toward him. Mia screamed and kicked blindly as he tickled the bottoms of her feet. Her screams quickly evolved into fits of laughter.

"Chris," she whined as she attempted to regain control. "Stop it," she ordered.

"Yes, please," a familiar voice interrupted. "Do stop."

Chris reluctantly moved away from Mia, allowing a large space to form between them. "Lady British," he greeted Miranda with a salute and nod.

She gave him a rough smile. "Keller." She eyed Mia. "It figures I'd once again find you two together in your quasi-fourplay."

Mia beat crimson. "It's not what it looks like."

"Sure it's not." Miranda frowned and shook her head. "You could do better," she spoke exclusively to Mia before her eyes wandered back to Chris. "_You_ couldn't."

"Way to state the obvious," Mia tacked on with a knowing smile.

Miranda gave a wave of her hand for quiet. "It's fine." She started to backtrack to the front of the bus. "I just came to inform you both that we'll be arriving in less than two hours. Be ready to rock." And with that, she left them alone again.

Mia turned to Chris. "Cutting it pretty close." She held her cellphone up. "Haley is speed dial number three."

Chris Keller's brow furrowed in distress. "I'm busy," he said as he snatched up a random magazine.

Mia amusedly realized that it was the newest Cosmopolitan. "No, you're not," she argued. "You're stalling."

He thumbed through a few pages. "Not stalling," he challenged, refusing to meet her eyes. "Just learning five different ways to please your man."

Mia grabbed the magazine from him and tossed it aside. "Which will be very helpful for you upon reuniting with Chase, but until then..." She stuck the phone is his hand. "'A deal is a deal,'" she threw his own words back at him, smiling as winningly as she could.

Chris glared. "You're a whole lot meaner than your music makes you out to be, Catalano." He quickly pressed the three button on her phone, hit send, and then pressed the end call button not a second later. Pansying out Chris Keller style.

"Chicken," Mia declared as she watched it all unfold. She worked to grab the phone from his grasp in order to just dial herself.

"Wait," he urged, hands fidgeting. "Who was your first show?" he randomly asked. She eyed him without understanding. "Who was your first concert with? What band?"

Mia sighed. "You can't distract me. You made this bet, so you're making this call." She grabbed for it again.

He held it just out of her reach. "I'm not trying to distract you. There's a point to this. Just answer."

She sighed again, temporarily defeated. She thought back to those early years of being discovered by Peyton and making that first album. She lazily thought back to what her first show was. "I think it was The Honorary Title," she told him finally. "It was just at Tric, for one song and one night, but it was as epic as shows come. My first actual opening on a tour was for Bryan Adams."

Chris chuckled, shaking his head. "You gotta love the irony. I bet Haley picked that out."

"How about you?" Mia questioned. "Who'd you lose your musical virginity to?"

Chris rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Chris Keller's first _professional_ tour," he paused, finger-quoting the word, "was with a little band called The Wreckers, if you've heard of them."

Mia's eyes widened considerably. "Michelle Branch and Jessica Harp?" she demanded disbelievingly, voice rising slightly.

He smirked self-importantly. "The two and only."

Mia smacked his chest. "Shut up. Shut up. No way." Voice now sounding hysterical. "How the hell did you score that?"

"My winning personality," he deadpanned.

"I can't believe you went on a tour with them. They're amazing."

He kinked an eyebrow. "Suggesting I'm not?"

Mia quickly regrouped. "Of course not. You know how awesome you are. I sure don't need to tell you. Your ego's big enough."

He smiled. "It's nice to be reminded."

"So why won't you call Haley?"

Chris fidgeted some more. "I asked Haley once who her first show was with, and you know what she said?"

Mia shook her head.

Chris made a disgusted face. "_Nathan_," he spat out the name like it was an illness. "She says that the only shows that mattered were for him and he was the one who encouraged her to sing in the first place."

Mia smiled, thinking of her musical friend. "That's sweet." And romantic, she wanted to add. She wanted something like that, too.

Chris imitated throwing up. "_Please. _It's nauseating. She didn't have a real concert until I hooked her up with The Wreckers. I made her career what it is."

"Let me guess, with kind words and respectful encouragement." Her sarcasm ran deep. She was finally able to steal the phone away with her insult. She pressed the number three. "Good story, Chris. Truly. How about now you man up and actually tell her how you feel? You can even include this bitter mood about who popped her musical cherry—you or Nathan."

He groaned. "What's the point? It'll always be Nathan Scott, the artistically challenged."

Mia listened to the ringing on the line. "If nothing else it's important to me." She handed him the phone. It was ultimately his choice, and she was almost counting on his failure now. She still wasn't ready to confront Chase, and that relationship hadn't even been unrequited like Chris'.

Chris positioned the phone by his ear until he heard it pick up.

"Baby doll," he breathed as a greeting into the phone, apparently ready to face her. "How goes things on the homestead? Missing your plaything in Chris Keller?"

He expected to be reprimanded for his typical inappropriateness or told-off for his immaturity, but nothing could have prepared him for the first words out of Haley's mouth.

"I won't lie." Haley sounded amused but surprisingly genuine. "It's too quiet when you're gone. I miss your annoying jokes."

Chris swallowed hard. "Can't say I blame you."

"The twins even miss you," Haley continued.

Chris thought of the twin girls he'd hired that equally embodied qualities relating to the grim reaper. They were both hotter than hell, surprisingly girly, and were _twins. _Hello. The ultimate fantasy.

"I miss their beds," he joked back.

Haley made an audible groan. "Lovely imagery, jackass. Now why'd you call?"

He took a deep breath, searching Mia's eyes for support. He found it as she squeezed his hand. "I just wanted to tell you..." The words eluded him.

"Is Mia alright?" Haley questioned.

Chris was happy to be temporarily derailed from his upcoming divulgement. "She's good." He remembered Mia's recent drinking binge. "Could be better." But then he remembered their kiss. "She's a work in progress."

Haley made a noise. "I don't even know what that all means."

His eyes refocused on the stunning brunette in front of him. Mia could go from being so vulnerable to sassy to supportive in just one day. Being on tour with her was like riding a roller coaster; you never knew when the twists would come or when it would end. And there was always this strange fluttering sensation when he was around either.

"It's enthralling," he spoke his thoughts out loud.

"What?" Haley was reasonably confused.

"Nothing." He shook himself from his reverie. "The tour's been distracting and enthralling. You know, good for someone in her situation." He didn't need to explain that he meant heartbroken and lonely. He'd been in the same boat. Was he still? "Unless you count Alex's untimely inclusion at our last concert."

"I didn't know she'd be there," Haley insisted, sounding terribly concerned.

Chris chuckled at her seriousness. "I know you didn't." He stood up and walked a good distance away from Mia for some privacy. "Let's just say it was a step back for our girl's romantic recovery, but a step forward in my diabolical plans for her."

Haley grumbled in a complaining way. "What in the world are you up to, Chris? Just give it up."

He bounced back to his childish ways. "You'll know when you know."

She groaned again. "You suck."

He huffed. "Back at you, blondie, but it's worse for you deep down. I'm winning this power struggle."

"Ugh," she moaned. "It sucks not knowing the details and being able to warn your victims in advance."

Chris nodded to himself, nearly agreeing. "Sucks to suck, champ."

"And on that note," Haley worked to end the call. "I'm back to not missing you."

"That's not mutual, sweetie. I always miss you." She just didn't know he meant that literally.

"Sure. Please be nice, though. I'm still keeping tabs on you, and she's too good to be messed with," she told him, sighing a little. "Bye, Chris," her sweet voice finished before the beep sounded.

"Bye, Haley," he whispered back despite the fact that she hadn't heard it. She was right about Mia. She was too good, but that was why he'd needed his plans in the first place.

He began his walk back to Mia. He felt different somehow. Lighter. Less upset about never being able to have Haley in any capacity. It wasn't like his feelings could completely disappear. It was almost like they had replaced themselves somewhere else.

Mia smiled up at him, holding up her guitar. "I have an idea."

Chris eyed her skeptically, unwilling to reveal his recent inner revelation just yet. "And what's that?"

Mia patted down the spot on the couch next to her. "I've said before that music makes everything better. You've said the same thing. Haley's said it. Miranda's said it. There's gotta be some truth there."

"I didn't tell her," he cut her off. He smiled guiltily back at her, taking the spot she'd suggested. "You're not gonna bust my balls for chickening out?"

Mia shrugged. "I don't know yet. That look on your face tells me you didn't exactly chicken out."

Chris frowned. "What do you mean?"

"When we made the bet you said that I hadn't dealt with my unresolved feelings for Chase," Mia explained. "You're right about that. I still need closure, but from what I can tell you're feelings are resolved. Almost like you're finally over her. It's the same look I hope to have someday."

Chris bit down on his tongue to keep himself from telling her that that was exactly how he felt. Resolved. His love for Haley seemed like a distant wonderful memory that didn't really affect him anymore. He simply nodded instead, shrugging his shoulders uncaringly.

"But with the end of an era," Mia started, raising her guitar in the air. "Comes the beginning of something even greater."

"Music," Chris provided, picking up his own guitar. "There's nothing Chris Keller likes better. So what are we playing?"

Mia struck a chord, clearly her voice. _"Dancin' where the stars go blue..."_

Chris' eyes widened in shock in a way that asked_ are you freaking kidding me?_

Mia laughed. "What? That's not your feel-good song?" She smiled. "Shocking." When he just sneered back she tried a different tactic. "How about a little lyrical brainstorming?"

Chris looked intrigued. "You want to write a song with_ me_?"

She shrugged noncommittally. "Let's just see where this goes. Why? Do you think it's a bad idea?"

Chris didn't even take a moment to hesitate before he agreed to the brainstorming. He really wanted to see where they could go. "I just don't think you can afford me."

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**Review! Oh, and a little FYI, I recently decided that this will have a total of twenty chapters by the time it's finished. So there's a lot left. ;) Next chapter will feature another concert! **


	9. A Fine Mess

**Disclaimer: Could it be mine please?**

**A/N: I've been dying to do this chapter for a _very_ long time. I've had the first half of this story (up till chapter ten) outlined for forever now, and this was always going to be a highlight. I hope you like it just as much as I do. It's definitely pushing them even closer to romance. ;) Review, Chria fans! Yeah, I went there. **

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Chapter 9: A Fine Mess

"How about you back off?" Mia ordered as she placed her hands on her hips.

One rowdy concert attendee had had a little too much to drink and was now insisting on groping her at every possible chance. She'd already had to push him off twice, and he still didn't seem to be getting the message.

She'd finished her set a good twenty minutes prior. Chris was currently midway in his headline, and Miranda was nowhere to be found. She had no backup, but she didn't care. She was tough—a fighter by instinct.

The middle-aged man started up again, eyeing her chest predatorily. "Those real?" He motioned obscenely. "What we could do tonight, baby."

"We could call the cops and have you arrested for being drunk and disorderly," she countered, unwavering in her badassery.

He was unfazed. "Let me buy you a drink."

She narrowed her eyes. "I'd rather die of thirst, jackass."

He laughed, causing a booming obnoxious noise to sound all around. Others were finally starting to notice his inappropriate behavior. "What'll it be?" he slurred, pointing at her and then at the bartender. "A shot of whiskey? Or maybe something a little girlier?"

Mia remained frozen in anger. "Don't make me repeat myself." She was raising her voice now, knowing that this guy probably wouldn't give up. She had to set him straight now. "Back the hell off."

He just laughed some more. "You can't mean that, princess."

Mia really wished she had taken Miranda up on that handgun she'd offered her a few weeks before. She couldn't think of a more acceptable situation to use it.

The music in the background suddenly cut off mid-song. Mia's eyes darted to the stage to find Chris barreling off of it toward her. He looked conflicted and really, _really_ pissed-off.

"What the hell is going on?" he demanded as soon as he reached her, eyes first searching hers. "You okay?"

Mia was astounded. Chris had literally just stopped the concert in the middle of his song, _When it Comes_. He was causing a commotion now since every single pair of eyes had followed him off stage to see this confrontation.

"Yeah," she told him shakily. "Well, not exactly." She turned to the intoxicated older man. "This jerk won't take a hint."

Chris turned to him, eyes blazing. "What the hell is your problem? This is Mia Catalano, which basically means she won't take any of this bullshit."

The man was eye level to Chris and looked ready to make a meal out of him. "Fuck off," he muttered crossly.

Chris set his jaw. "Will do, asshat." He grabbed Mia's hand and began pulling her away from the rude man.

Mia stopped suddenly when the man smacked her butt.

"Ooh. Firm," he whispered unattractively.

Mia was even more appalled at this turn of events, but that quickly turned into worry when she noticed Chris' expression. She saw that look in his eyes. The one that meant he was completely lost in his fury and reason didn't stand a chance now. That could only lead to one thing.

"Chris," she said in a warning tone, working to wean him away from any physical altercations. "He's not worth it."

The man chuckled proudly. "Yeah, _Chris_," he mimicked. "Listen to the little bitch." Apparently done with the compliments.

That was the last straw. Chris bounded forward, his hand colliding with the other man's face. They both went crashing immediately to the floor.

"Chris!" Mia yelled as she bent down to help him. "What about your guitar hands?" She watched in horror as Chris just kept punching the other man, who was too wasted to fight back. She smiled momentarily, realizing that any other time Chris wouldn't stand a chance in a brawl, although even she had to admit he was pretty scrappy.

Security finally followed the noise and pulled Chris off of the man. He was still kicking wildly and cursing loudly as they held his arms back. The situation was so ridiculous that it was almost comical.

"That should teach you," Chris continued shouting. "Don't mess with the Keller."

"Chris," Mia said again. She ran over to him as security turned their focus to the man on the floor. Mia happily noted a red puffiness around his right eye before they kicked him out of the concert. She reeled her focus to Chris again. "How are you?" she asked him.

He still appeared seriously ticked-off. "I'm fine," he answered through gritted teeth, but when he noticed Mia's distressed disposition he softened to his old self. "You should see the other guy."

Mia laughed. "Yeah, yeah. You were great. Blah, Blah. Now let me see your hand."

He reluctantly placed his callused hand into hers. She inspected it carefully. It was already discolored and looked on the verge of puffing up.

"You need ice," she told him, more concerned than she'd like to admit.

Miranda suddenly appeared amongst the crowd of spectators. She cast her eyes from Mia to Chris to their hands. "Bloody hell," she grumbled before backing away. "I'm on damage control." She gestured for security to follow her before eyeing the pair again. "Get fixed up, Keller. You might've just cost us the whole tour."

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The concert and the buzz about the fight had quickly dissipated. The majority of the crowd had left, receiving full refunds for their trouble and a bossy request from Miranda to keep mum about the goings-on of that night.

Mia and Chris were the only two that had allowed to stay in the concert area. Chris was now sitting on the counter of the bar as Mia pressed a freezing cold rag filled with ice against his damaged hand.

They were undoubtably alone, and Mia had never before been more aware of that fact. It was also unnervingly quiet. All she could hear was Chris' shallow breathing as he tried to work through the pain.

His threshold for pain was unfortunately but not unexpectedly low.

The night felt even tenser now. Mia was determined to break the never-ending curse of silence that had formed around them, if only to keep herself from going insane over her thoughts.

"You didn't have to do that," she told him, working to sound grateful. She was so used to fighting her own battles that it felt strange not to have to. "Punch him, I mean."

Chris smiled half-heartedly. "I know."

Mia gazed into his eyes more intently than ever before. She noticed for the first time that there was a childness in his stunning teal blue eyes. An obvious vulnerability that was usually hidden behind his flippant personality.

"It was nice," she admitted in her most delicate voice, swallowing hard. He clearly didn't understand, so she elaborated. "It was nice having someone save me for once."

She really wasn't sure she wanted to have this conversation with him. Now or ever.

Chris nodded, understanding. "I'm sure Chase would have done the same thing." He grimaced slightly, like that thought upset him. "Or anyone else you've dated."

Mia nodded with a hint of sarcasm. "I've had guys fight for me before, sure. But normally it's just to stake their territory and claim me as theirs. This felt like you were defending my honor or something." She turned her eyes downward to avoid the intensity of his gaze. She instantly regretted the words once they'd left her mouth. It was stupid and presumptuous to think he actually cared that much.

Chris' eyes clouded over. "You're worth it," he said at last.

Mia frowned, remembering something he'd said to her on their first week together on the bus.

_Because she's worth it._

At the time Chris had been referring to Haley, but now he used similar words to describe her. Mia couldn't understand the strange tingly feeling that spread through her stomach at that thought.

"Well, thanks," she said, feeling reasonably awkward.

Chris smirked, sensing how uncomfortable she felt and feeling none of it himself. "Anytime, sweetheart. Anytime."

She smiled for a moment before frowning when she noticed his hand again. It was already sizably swollen. She repositioned the ice pack on it. "It's bad, Chris. You really should get it checked out somewhere."

Chris smiled slyly. "You could always kiss it and make it better."

Mia laughed. "I could." And suddenly she wanted to. She took his hand and brought it to her lips, pressing them lightly to his skin. He tasted like old spice and arrogance.

Chris watched her in surprise. She always kept him guessing, but this felt forward. Almost inviting. They were only an inch apart now as she turned her eyes to him. If he only tilted his head slightly down...

The main door to the bar burst open to reveal a relieved Miranda. "Thank the heavens. There you guys are. I've been looking everywhere."

Both Mia and Chris bit back comments about how she couldn't have looked _that _hard. They were right where she'd left them.

She walked toward them purposefully. Mia took a small step back from Chris. "I was worried Keller would have another rush of testosterone," Miranda continued in a slight mocking tone.

Chris sneered. "You say that like it's rare."

Mia and Miranda exchanged a look, and both laughed.

"Keep it up." Chris held up his hand. "I could always press charges against your precious Sire Records for their less-than-stellar security."

Miranda straightened up. "Knock it off, Keller. You'll be fine, and you know it. Don't be such a drama queen hypochondriac."

Chris pulled the ice pack off to show just how bad his hand had gotten in such a short time. "You want to rethink that statement?"

Miranda sighed, slightly annoyed to be proved wrong for once. "Fine. Let's go to the emergency room and get you looked at."

Chris made a face. "On second thought..." He shook his hand out, pretending to be fine, even though it was obvious it caused him severe pain to do it. "I'm good. No hospitals."

Miranda pushed past Mia and stared him down. "One word about it and I'll put you in an ambulance too."

Chris scowled. "But I hate needles."

Miranda mimicked his characteristic smirk. "And I hate grown man that act like sniveling babies. Now let's go. I have a rented Audi outside. We need to be inconspicuous, or it will be a minefield out there."

Chris opened his mouth for a retort, but closed it after reconsideration. His hand really needed help. "Fine." He grasped his hand protectively as he made his way to the exit. "Shotgun," he yelled just before dashing outside to beat Mia to the car.

Mia didn't know what came over her, usually she was so civilized, but Chris had this uncanny ability to get under her skin until she had no choice but to deal with him. "Challenge accepted," she said in a battle cry as she followed him out to the car in full sprint. "Damn his head start," she whined as she exited the building.

"Two sniveling babies," Miranda commented under her breath before smiling in approval.

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**A/N: Next chapter takes place at the hospital! :) Review!**


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